一步法RT-PCR扩增PRSV海南分离物全长基因组cDNA

以植物总RNA提取试剂盒提取的高纯度的总RNA为模板,使用Oligo dT-Adaptor和Random9引物合成了番木瓜环斑病病毒海南分离物(PRSV HN-2)的cDNA第一链,基于已报道的PRSV全长基因组序列,设计合成了一对引物,一步法RT-PCR扩增出PRSV海南分离物全长基因组cDNA。为了验证获得的全长基因组cDNA的正确性,并以扩增出的全长cDNA为模板,将PRSV全长基因组分成A、B 2个大片段进行扩增,应用T载体进行克隆和测序以验证所获得的全长基因组cDNA序列的正确性。测序结果显示,该cDNA序列与国内外报道的PRSV各分离物全长核苷酸序列的相似性很高,表明本文建立的一步法RT-PCR扩增PRSV全长基因组cDNA的方法正确、可行。     

混合感染番木瓜PRSV/PLDMV株系基因组全长cDNA的克隆和实时荧光定量PCR分析

番木瓜环斑病毒(Papaya ringspot virus,PRSV)与番木瓜畸形花叶病毒(Papaya leaf distortion mosaic virus,PLDMV)存在混合感染的现象,近年来混合感染发病率逐年递增,是一种新的威胁番木瓜种植业的病毒病害。运用RT-PCR和RACE方法从混合感染样品中克隆获得2种病毒基因组全长c DNA,分别命名为PRSV-LM和PLDMV-LM,Gen Bank登录号分别为KT633943和KT633944,基因组序列大小分别为10 325、10 153 nt(不包括3′端的poly A)。序列分析表明:PRSV-LM与单独感染样品中的PRSV海南分离物HN(Gen Bank登录号:EF183499)的核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列相似性最高,为94%;PLDMV-LM与单独感染样品中的PLDMV海南分离物Hainan-DF(Gen Bank登录号:JX974555)核苷酸和氨基酸序列相似性最高,分别高达99%和97%。进化树分析显示,PRSV-LM和PLDMV-LM分别与单独感染样品的PRSV和PLDMV海南分离物有共同的进化起源。进一步利用实时荧光定量PCR对混合感染样品的PRSV与PLDMV病毒积累量进行分析,结果表明,混合感染样品中PLDMV病毒积累量大约是PRSV含量的100倍。研究结果为进一步探究PRSV/PLDMV混合感染发病机制奠定基础。     

海南番木瓜PRSV和PLDMV病毒发生情况及分子鉴定

对海南昌江、乐东、澄迈、文昌和三亚5个主要番木瓜产区的病毒病发生情况进行调查。对76份番木瓜疑似病毒样品进行检测,检测结果表明海南番木瓜病毒病主要有2种：由番木瓜环斑病毒（Papaya ring spot virus,PRSV）引起的番木瓜环斑病毒病和由番木瓜畸形花叶病毒（Papaya leaf-distortion mosaic virus,PLDMV）引起的番木瓜畸形花叶病毒病。其中,番木瓜环斑病毒病最为常见,检出率达77.63％,是影响海南地区番木瓜产业健康发展的主要病毒病;畸形花叶病毒病发生率很低,仅检出2例番木瓜畸形花叶病毒病样品。以PRSV病毒基因组P1和Hc-Pro作为靶标基因进行分子克隆、测序,结果表明海南地区PRSV病毒可明显分为2个株系：HN-PRSV-1株系和HN-PRSV-2株系。此外,基于CP基因的系统进化树分析结果表明在海南新发现的PLDMV病毒可能源于台湾和日本。本研究可为开展番木瓜花叶病的防控和创制抗花叶病毒番木瓜新种质提供数据参考。     

海南番木瓜花叶病毒全长cDNA克隆及序列分析

提取海南果园番木瓜病叶样品总RNA,反转录得到cDNA第一链,基于已报道的番木瓜花叶病毒(Papaya mosaic virus,PaMV)全长基因组序列,设计引物,PCR扩增PaMV-CP基因序列,通过测序和序列比对分析确定发病植物感染了PaMV.再通过RT-PCR扩增PaMV全长cDNA序列,克隆及测序结果表明,所获得的cDNA全长为6656 bp,与国外报道的PaMV分离物全长核苷酸序列的相似性达99.6％.     

dsRNA介导的PRSV-CP基因3＇-端同源序列瞬时表达对番木瓜环斑病毒侵染的影响

体外合成我国番木瓜主产区环斑病毒外壳蛋白（PRSV-CP）基因3＇-端278bp同源区段,构建包含278bp正义链、内含子（PDK内含子）及278bp反义链的RNA介导的植物表达载体p2301-CPU,直接转化根癌农杆菌EHA105。通过根癌农杆菌介导的瞬时表达法,研究同源dsRNA对番木瓜环斑病毒（PRSV）侵染的干扰作用。结果表明,瞬时表达的dsRNA能够特异地干扰PRSV侵染。     

我国斯里兰卡木薯花叶病毒的分子特征及致病性分析

为进一步探究我国斯里兰卡木薯花叶病毒（Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus, SLCMV）的分子特征及致病性。以感染SLCMV的木薯叶片基因组DNA为模板,PCR扩增获得DNA-A和DNA-B基因组全长,通过生物信息软件分析比较其核酸及氨基酸序列特征;构建了强、弱致病力分离物（SLCMV-Colombo和SLCMV-DG1922）的侵染性克隆,分别将2种致病力分离物的DNA-A和DNA-B组分进行重组,接种烟草（Nicotianatabacum）,比较2种分离物的致病性差异。结果显示：我国SLCMV为“旧世界”双组份菜豆花叶病毒,编码包括AV2基因在内的8个开放阅读框（ORFs）;具有双生病毒典型的共同序列（CR）、重复序列、TATABox和TAATATT↓AC茎环结构,Rep蛋白羧基末端有7个氨基酸缺失;我国SLCMV的基因组、编码和非编码区与柬埔寨、泰国和越南分离物的相似性在97.0%～100.0%之间,与印度和斯里兰卡早期的分离物相似性为86.5%～98.6%,DNA-B组份与印度木薯花叶病毒株系（ICMV）编码区序列相似性为95.0%～97.6%,与其...     

MicroRNA用于创制抗PRSV番木瓜新种质的展望

微小RNA(microRNA, miRNA)是真核生物体内调控基因表达的一类非常重要的小分子RNA,在植物逆境适应过程中发挥着重要的作用。总结番木瓜环斑病毒(papaya ring spot virus, PRSV)致病机理研究的最新进展,探讨miRNA在植物抗病毒中的研究进展和应用前景,提出研究番木瓜miRNA参与抗PRSV机制的途径,为开展番木瓜miRNA研究和创制抗PRSV番木瓜新种质提供理论参考。     

用Golden Gate法构建广谱抗番木瓜环斑病毒海南株系的CRISPR/FnCas9植物表达载体

分子生物学育种是目前防治番木瓜环斑病毒(PRSV)最有效的方法。早期转基因番木瓜抗病毒的策略是根据"致病菌衍生的抗病性"(PDR)原理,将病毒来源的基因全长序列,转入番木瓜并获得抗性。PDR策略最主要特点依赖于靶目标病毒基因序列相似性,不能有效解决海南的番木瓜环斑病毒遗传多样性复杂的株系。本研究着眼于创制广谱的抗PRSV新策略,用最新的CRISPR/FnCas9基因编辑技术和Golden Gate载体构建系统,依据不同PRSV株系的保守序列分析结果,将5个sgRNA(2个CP sgRNA,2个Nib sgRNA和1个HC-Pro sgRNA)串联在一个载体上,实现一个载体可识别剪切5个位点,从而达到广谱抗PRSV的效果,应对海南地区PRSV株系复杂的问题。目前载体已经进行了测序验证,并在番木瓜上进行了叶片局部瞬时表达,初步表现出对PRSV的抑制效果,这为获得广谱抗番木瓜环斑病毒的番木瓜品种奠定良好基础。      

水稻谷蛋白基因GluB-6的cDNA克隆及表达

根据已克隆谷蛋白基因的保守氨基酸序列搜索基因组数据库,获得与之高度同源的水稻基因组序列,通过生物软件进行基因预测和验证,用RT PCR法克隆得到1个新的谷蛋白基因的cDNA克隆。核酸序列分析和体外表达结果表明,该基因cDNA序列全长为1517 bp,含有1个编码495个氨基酸残基的开放阅读框（ORF）,推导的氨基酸序列与谷蛋白基因家族的相似性介于53.6%~82.8%,并与B亚族谷蛋白基因的同源性更高,因此命名为GluB 6（GenBank注册号AY429651）。Northern杂交显示,GluB 6基因具有高度的胚乳表达特性。     

应用Sos恢复系统筛选与番木瓜环斑病毒CI互作的寄主因子

应用Sos恢复系统(Sos recruitment system)筛选可能与番木瓜环斑病毒CI(Cylindrical inclusion protein,圆柱形内含体蛋白)相互作用的寄主蛋白因子,通过营养缺陷、温度敏感筛选、回转验证、序列测定和同源比对分析,获得1种候选的互作寄主蛋白,该蛋白与植物的叶绿体延伸因子Tu(Elongation factor Tu,EF-Tu)具有较高的相似性,并对其在番木瓜环斑病毒(Papaya Ringspot Virus,PRSV)致病与植物防御过程中的功能进行初步分析。     

Comparative Assessment of the Efficacy of Various Nitrogen Fertilizers

Summary

The efficiency of N fertilizers is usually poor; often less than 50% of the applied N is taken up by the crop. This review focuses on various N fertilizers with respect to the significance of different N loss pathways, namely (i) ammonia volatilization, (ii) dinitrogen and nitrogen oxide emissions, and (iii) nitrate leaching. Further, the significance of biological N immobilization, ammonium fixation and, finally, the impact of nitrate vs. ammonium uptake on crop yield are also discussed. The reviewed literature shows that N fertilizers may differ markedly in their susceptibility to losses. There is, however, considerable scope to improve N efficiency of each N source by proper N management practices.     

Studies on natural repellents against potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller) in country stores

Summary The effects of the leaves of five plant species, one from each of the generaAmbrosia, Anemone, Eupatorium, Eucalyptus andLantana, on potato tuber moth were investigated under indigenous storage conditions at the Central Potato Research Station, Shillong (1800 m above sea level). Their action was compared with that of a biological insecticide (spores ofBacillus thuringiensis), a chemical insecticide (carbaryl), and an untreated control. The data collected after six months storage on tuber damage, sprout damage and the rotting indicated that the leaves ofLantana aculeata provided most protection to the tubers, reducing damage from over 70% in the check to below 5%, and sprout damage from over 45% to below 3%. Next best wasEucalyptus globulus followed byB. thuringiensis. They may be used on tubers stored for table use or for seed as they had no adverse effect on germination or on the yield of a subsequent crop.     

Novel food and non-food uses for sorghum and millets

Sorghum and millets have considerable potential in foods and beverages. As they are gluten-free they are suitable for coeliacs. Sorghum is also a potentially important source of nutraceuticals such antioxidant phenolics and cholesterol-lowering waxes. Cakes, cookies, pasta, a parboiled rice-like product and snack foods have been successfully produced from sorghum and, in some cases, millets. Wheat-free sorghum or millet bread remains the main challenge. Additives such as native and pre-gelatinised starches, hydrocolloids, fat, egg and rye pentosans improve bread quality. However, specific volumes are lower than those for wheat bread or gluten-free breads based on pure starches, and in many cases, breads tend to stale faster. Lager and stout beers with sorghum are brewed commercially. Sorghum's high-starch gelatinisation temperature and low beta-amylase activity remain problems with regard to complete substitution of barley malt with sorghum malt . The role of the sorghum endosperm matrix protein and cell wall components in limiting extract is a research focus. Brewing with millets is still at an experimental stage. Sorghum could be important for bioethanol and other bio-industrial products. Bioethanol research has focused on improving the economics of the process through cultivar selection, method development for low-quality grain and pre-processing to recover valuable by-products. Potential by-products such as the kafirin prolamin proteins and the pericarp wax have potential as bioplastic films and coatings for foods, primarily due to their hydrophobicity.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of different accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. from Uruguay

Summary The in vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts from accessions ofSolanum commersonii Dun. collected in the south of Uruguay was investigated against five microorganisms including the pathogenRalstonia solanacearum. A total of 30 extracts corresponding to organic and aqueous extracts were studied. Interestingly, most of the positive results for growth inhibition were againstR. solanacearum. The extracts were also analyzed for the presence of glycoalkaloids and lectins. Six of the ten aqueous extracts showed lectin presence and a wide variation in the type and amounts of glycoalkaloids, was found. Results indicate that there is no clear relationship between the antimicrobial activity against the five microorganisms screened and the presence or amounts of lectins and glycoalkaloids, traditionally regarded as possible antimicrobial metabolites in theSolanum genus, which indicates the presence of as yet unidentified antimicrobial compounds.     

Extreme resistance to infection by potato virus X in genotypes of wild tuber-bearingSolanum species

Summary Clones derived from thirty-one different accessions (nineteen of Argentine origin) belonging to eightSolanum species were screened for resistance to infection by potato virus X strain cp (PVX cp) by mechanical inoculation of plantlets that had been micropropagated in vitro. Estimates of PVX multiplication obtained by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and slot blot nucleic acid hybridization allowed the identification of resistant clones derived from five accessions belonging toS. commersonii S. oplocense, S. sparsipilum andS. tuberosum andigena. Resistant genotypes supported PVX concentrations 5 to 15 times smaller than did the susceptible control cultivar Spunta. Graft inoculation test confirmed the presence of extreme resistance similar to that conferred by the ‘immunity’ gene X¹ (also called RX_act).     

Cyanobacteria Secondary Metabolites as Biotechnological Ingredients in Natural Anti-Aging Cosmetics: Potential to Overcome Hyperpigmentation,Loss of Skin Density and UV Radiation-Deleterious Effects

The loss of density and elasticity, the appearance of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation are among the first noticeable signs of skin aging. Beyond UV radiation and oxidative stress, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) assume a preponderant role in the process, since their deregulation results in the degradation of most extracellular matrix components. In this survey, four cyanobacteria strains were explored for their capacity to produce secondary metabolites with biotechnological potential for use in anti-aging formulations. Leptolyngbya boryana LEGE 15486 and Cephalothrix lacustris LEGE 15493 from freshwater ecosystems, and Leptolyngbya cf. ectocarpi LEGE 11479 and Nodosilinea nodulosa LEGE 06104 from marine habitats were sequentially extracted with acetone and water, and extracts were analyzed for their toxicity in cell lines with key roles in the skin context (HaCAT, 3T3L1, and hCMEC). The non-toxic extracts were chemically characterized in terms of proteins, carotenoids, phenols, and chlorophyll a, and their anti-aging potential was explored through their ability to scavenge the physiological free radical superoxide anion radical (O₂^•−), to reduce the activity of the MMPs elastase and hyaluronidase, to inhibit tyrosinase and thus avoid melanin production, and to block UV-B radiation (sun protection factor, SPF). Leptolyngbya species stood out for anti-aging purposes: L. boryana LEGE 15486 presented a remarkable SPF of 19 (at 200 µg/mL), being among the best species regarding O₂^•− scavenging, (IC₅₀ = 99.50 µg/mL) and also being able to inhibit tyrosinase (IC₂₅ = 784 µg/mL), proving to be promising against UV-induced skin-aging; L. ectocarpi LEGE 11479 was more efficient in inhibiting MMPs (hyaluronidase, IC₅₀ = 863 µg/mL; elastase, IC₅₀ = 391 µg/mL), thus being the choice to retard dermal density loss. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the data allowed the grouping of extracts into three groups, according to their chemical composition; the correlation of carotenoids and chlorophyll a with MMPs activity (p < 0.01), O₂^•− scavenging with phenolic compounds (p < 0.01), and phycocyanin and allophycocyanin with SPF, pointing to these compounds in particular as responsible for UV-B blockage. This original survey explores, for the first time, the biotechnological potential of these cyanobacteria strains in the field of skin aging, demonstrating the promising, innovative, and multifactorial nature of these microorganisms.     

Marine Pharmacology in 2009–2011: Marine Compounds with Antibacterial,Antidiabetic, Antifungal,Anti-Inflammatory,Antiprotozoal, Antituberculosis,and Antiviral Activities; Affecting the Immune and Nervous Systems,and other Miscellaneous Mechanisms of Action ?

The peer-reviewed marine pharmacology literature from 2009 to 2011 is presented in this review, following the format used in the 1998–2008 reviews of this series. The pharmacology of structurally-characterized compounds isolated from marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria is discussed in a comprehensive manner. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral pharmacological activities were reported for 102 marine natural products. Additionally, 60 marine compounds were observed to affect the immune and nervous system as well as possess antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, 68 marine metabolites were shown to interact with a variety of receptors and molecular targets, and thus will probably contribute to multiple pharmacological classes upon further mechanism of action studies. Marine pharmacology during 2009–2011 remained a global enterprise, with researchers from 35 countries, and the United States, contributing to the preclinical pharmacology of 262 marine compounds which are part of the preclinical pharmaceutical pipeline. Continued pharmacological research with marine natural products will contribute to enhance the marine pharmaceutical clinical pipeline, which in 2013 consisted of 17 marine natural products, analogs or derivatives targeting a limited number of disease categories.     

Recent Modifications of Chitosan for Adsorption Applications: A Critical and Systematic Review

Chitosan is considered to be one of the most promising and applicable materials in adsorption applications. The existence of amino and hydroxyl groups in its molecules contributes to many possible adsorption interactions between chitosan and pollutants (dyes, metals, ions, phenols, pharmaceuticals/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, etc.). These functional groups can help in establishing positions for modification. Based on the learning from previously published works in literature, researchers have achieved a modification of chitosan with a number of different functional groups. This work summarizes the published works of the last three years (2012–2014) regarding the modification reactions of chitosans (grafting, cross-linking, etc.) and their application to adsorption of different environmental pollutants (in liquid-phase).